Table 1.
Reduction of Weekly Number of Antibiotic Prescriptions per 1000 Persons During 2019/2020 Compared to the Corresponding Period in the Previous 3 Years, South Korea
| Characteristic | Estimated Reduction in Antibiotic Use, During Pre-and Post-timing of COVID-19 epidemic | Estimated Reduction (%) in Antibiotic Use, During COVID-19 Epidemic vs Corresponding Period in 2017–2019, With P Valuec | Estimated Overall Reduction in Antibiotic Use Associated With COVID-19 Epidemic, % (95% CI) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Broad-Spectrum Antibiotics | Years | Before 23 Feb, Median, (IQR) | After 23 Feb, Median, (IQR) | Change (%) With P Valueb | Excess Number of Reduction with P Valueb | Unadjusted (Univariate Regression Model) | Adjustedd (Multivariable Regression Model) | |
| Penicillin with β-lactamase inhibitors | 2016/2017–2018/2019a | 426.9 (395.0–492.8) | 399.9 (360.1–510.3) | –5.7 (P = .311) | … | … | … | … |
| 2019/2020 | 421.5 (311.3–481.7) | 205.5 (156.6–239.9) | –51.0 (P < .001) | 178.0 (P < .001) | 54.1 (P < .001) | 52.7 (46.6–58.1) | 29.5 (7.8–55.5) | |
| Cephalosporins | 2016/2017–2018/2019a | 325.0 (309.9–355.4) | 322.7 (305.6–361.7) | –1.2 (P = .678) | … | … | … | … |
| 2019/2020 | 352.2 (296.1–361.7) | 219.7 (209.9–262.1) | –32.8 (P < .001) | 106.3 (P < .001) | 31.9 (P < .001) | 33.1 (29.5–38.2) | 14.2 (3.5–26.1) | |
| Macrolides | 2016/2017–2018/2019a | 120.2 (108.5–148.4) | 111.1 (89.1–143.2) | –10.4 (P = .144) | … | … | … | … |
| 2019/2020 | 139.1 (94.5–179.6) | 52.4 (48.1–59.5) | –62.0 (P < .001) | 71.9 (P < .001) | 54.6 (P < .001) | 60.1 (54.0–65.5) | 24.3 (–2.5 to 58.5) | |
| Fluoroquinolones | 2016/2017–2018/2019a | 44.4 (42.9–46.7) | 41.7 (40.1–43.9) | –6.3 (P < .001) | … | … | … | … |
| 2019/2020 | 43.4 (40.1–46.0) | 35.9 (34.7–39.1) | –18.3 (P < .001) | 34.7 (P = .002) | 14.8 (P = .001) | 16.2 (12.4–19.8) | 13.9 (3.9–24.8) |
Abbreviations: CI, confidence interval; COVID-19, coronavirus disease 2019; IQR, interquartile range.
aMean of antibiotic use during 2017–2019.
bWelch 2-sample t test.
cPaired t test.
dEstimated from the regression model adjusted on changes of viral acute respiratory tract infection hospitalization.